Conventional rack systems for displaying and dispensing candy and the like are usually made in the form of a solid, wooden shelved structures. Often, such structures are placed on a tabletop or countertop. These structures occupy a relatively large amount of space which leaves a relatively limited area for placement of the candy containers. Due to the limited open area that a conventional solid rack system provides, the candy within the containers cannot be seen very well by consumers and thus, the display function of the rack system is reduced. Moreover, the solid structure of the rack results in a bulky system which can be difficult or impossible to move.
In a conventional rack system, various kinds of candy display containers are simply placed on some type of support without being secured thereto. Unauthorized access to the candy inside the display containers or even pilferage of entire candy display containers can occur when left unattended. This can cause economic loss to the merchant. Since it is not practicable to move the display to a locked or restricted access location, a solution is needed to prevent pilferage of the candy from the display containers without moving the display.
When conventional candy dispensers are in use, accidental spills of candy onto the floor are essentially unavoidable. Such spills not only cause waste of the candy but also create a messy and possibly dangerous, e.g., slippery, condition. Therefore, it is desirable to resolve this problem so that the merchant can avoid loss of otherwise salable product and maintain the cleanliness of the dispensing area.